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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28351368">the nutcracker</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/synically/pseuds/nicsyy'>nicsyy (synically)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ten last stars [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But not explicit, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, True Love, i kinda have this fairy tale taegyu agenda heh, mentions of bullying</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:00:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28351368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/synically/pseuds/nicsyy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"once upon a time, there's a prince who was cursed to be a nutcracker.</p><p>"it was said that the prince is still lost to this very day. a fairy tale that has no happy ending."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ten last stars [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061972</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>10LastStarsWithTXT</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the nutcracker</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"once upon a time, there's a prince who was cursed to be a nutcracker by his jealous and greedy father. he was locked away for eternities as the evil king continued to rule.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"no one was able to find him. and if they did, they couldn't break the powerful curse. it was said that the prince is still lost to this very day. a fairy tale that has no happy ending."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>little taehyun pouted at his grandmother, who was now closing the storybook, "why doesn't it have a happy ending, grandma? i thought stories should always have one."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>his grandmother combed through his dark brown locks, tucking the boy underneath the blankets, "it's a lesson, dear child. so that youngsters like you wouldn't always believe that everything ends in a 'happily ever after'. you're smart, my taehyunnie, but for now let's get you to sleep."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>he reached grabby hands to his grandmother and she laughs fondly, grabbing the boy's nutcracker from above his shelf of toys and placing it beside him on the bed. she leaves a loving kiss on his forehead, and before she slip away to her own chamber, she looks back at her grandson now peacefully sleeping, clutching the toy to his heart.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the winter wind chimed against the closed windows in an agonizing melody, the flood of snow getting harsher with each minute that passes by.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>none of them knew of the story's origin.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>because a fairy tale with no happy ending is no fairy tale at all.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>middle-schooler taehyun stomps his way inside his room, plopping himself on the bed. he was utterly frustrated the whole day in school, and the broken glasses on his nose worsened it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun reached for his nutcracker on the pillow, holding it to the ceiling. his eyes raked from its black-colored hair, to the navy blue uniform. the woodcarving was exquisite, its face carefully carved to showcase delicate features. it was- <em>pretty</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"you know, nutcracker, you're really pretty." he murmurs, glimmering orbs still scanning his little toy. "i kind of wish you were real so that bullies would stop bugging me. because then, i'd have a pretty friend.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"do you see what they did to my glasses, nutcracker?" he points, "they broke it again. and called me a nerd. and pushed me to the curb."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>he rolls on his stomach, still looking at the toy. "i don't have any friends because of how i look, do you think i should change it?" taehyun stared for a moment, as if waiting for a reply that never came. "i think so too. you're so smart, nutcracker!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"by the way, don't you have a name? i feel like it's awkward calling you nutcracker all the time."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>for middle-schooler taehyun, the nutcracker was the only friend he needed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"yeonjun-hyung that's unfair!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"kai that's cheating!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"no! soobin what the hell!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun shakes his head disbelievingly, his three high-school friends rumbling on the floor of his room as they play video games. meanwhile, he was perched on his desk, studying with his nutcracker — now named chestnut — in front of his open book.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"my friends are dumb, don't you think?" he mutters to his wooden friend. giggling as he almost imagines it answering yes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a pillow was thrown at him and he yelped. "stop talking to your nutcracker and join us instead, smarty pants." yeonjun whines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"nah, you know i'll just beat you on any game."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>. . .</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the three friends had left after hours of playing and eating; and like he said, taehyun really did won most of it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>as he close the door of his room, a smile still on his face from the hang-out, he catches sight of his nutcracker now laid forgotten on his desk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"hey chestnut." taehyun greets, settling his toy properly. "i told you my friends are dumb."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the high-schooler remembers the time he met his friends halfway through middle-school. they were from a different class, but they defended taehyun from his bullies and took him in as part of their small group.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>it was the next day when he told the nutcracker that he didn't have any friends. and he wondered if it was a miracle, or if the toy was magic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun smiled at it. a sense of comfort enveloping him as he watch the snow fall from outside his window.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"i got new contacts too! it's itchy at first, but i've gotten used to it. yeonjun-hyung suggested for me to use this instead of my glasses.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"soobin-hyung also has a crush on kai, but you didn't hear it from me." he giggles, resting his chin on his folded arms as he looks at the toy fondly, "i really like talking to you. if you were human, i think you'd be a really good listener, chestnut. yeonjun just doesn't get it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"i wonder how you'd be like if you were like me."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"where is it?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>he had already emptied out his closet, searched each box and shelf, peeked underneath his bed, removed everything on his desk, and turned his backpack inside out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>but his nutcracker was nowhere to be found.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun fisted his hair, on the verge of breaking down in the middle of his messy room. he thought of where he could possibly misplaced it, but his ideas ran short. <em>i couldn't have left it at school, right? i never pulled it out of my bag.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>it was at that time when his friends knocked and walked in, discovering the mess taehyun had made.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"whoa what happened here?" kai asks, concerned.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>soobin was quick to go beside him, a hand comfortingly rubbing on his back. "are you okay tyun?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"no," taehyun peeps, "i can't find my nutcracker."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"you turned this place upside down for a <em>nutcracker</em>?" yeonjun questioned, incredulity laced in his voice. "it's just-"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"it's not just a nutcracker!" the boy snaps, his eyes glaring at his oldest friend. "my grandmother gave it to me. it's my comfort and safe place! it's my very first friend! if you'll continue being an ass about it then just leave!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>yeonjun raises his hands up in surrender, a wave of guilt flushing in his system. it was the first time they see their usually composed friend like this, and it made them realize just how much the toy meant for him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"i'm sorry. we'll help you find it, hyunnie."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>it has been days since taehyun had last seen his nutcracker, and he was about to go insane. they had looked all over the school, the convenience store they usually hang-out in, even the park they didn't go to that week. but it was all in vain.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun was slouched in their living room couch, cheeks dried with tears and hugging the throw-pillow to his chest. the missing toy ruined his entire routine; but one couldn't blame him as he had it for years, not missing a day talking to it about what he had done the entire afternoon.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>he wasn't kidding when the toy is his comfort and safe place; it sounds ridiculous but his chestnut had always been there to listen to him rant about his bullies and insecurities. providing taehyun a place to vent out his thoughts, and it never failed to make him feel better after.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>thirsty, he trudged to their kitchen to pour himself some water. then he heard their front door opening and the sounds of footsteps; taehyun knows it was his friends.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"we found it!" they exclaimed when they saw the blond-haired boy. yeonjun showing him the nutcracker.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>his eyes misted with tears seeing his toy still intact, a bit muddy but taehyun can clean it up anyway. he slowly walked towards yeonjun, hands shaking as he reach for his chestnut.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"w-where-?" taehyun tried asking, but choked on his words. too emotional for his own good.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"your bullies. but don't worry, we took care of them already." soobin said, smiling reassuringly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>a flash of anger coursed through him, but it quickly went away as he took a hold of the nutcracker. overwhelmed with joy, he started peppering kisses all over his toy and-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>poof!</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>taehyun crashed on his back at the kitchen floor, his friends shrieking in surprise. a weight was on him and he opened his eyes to the most beautiful boy he had ever seen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>on top of him, a boy his age with raven-black locks looked down at him. delicate features, full pink lips, pointed nose, and eyes that hold entire galaxies in it. his heart started pounding loudly, enough to ring in his ears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"you broke the curse . . ." he murmured, fascinated as he stares into taehyun's wide eyes. the two of them lost in each other's gaze. "i've always heard you- each of your stories and i've never wanted to wake up so bad and tell you that you're just perfect, and so <em>beautiful</em> and-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"i can't believe that you're my true love."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>and like all the protagonists in a fairy tale, their happily ever afters are sealed with a kiss.</p>
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